MEGA'S STAR STAYS LIT AFTER FOUR DECADES

By Tom Choy

Vancouver, British Columbia

“ Sit here, so I may write you into a poem and make you eternal.”    Kamand Kojouri

TV host Boy Abunda on Youtube told Sharon Cuneta, “ We heard  you are very generous giving diamonds as gifts.” To which Sharon answered, “ Di naman Tito Boy. I just wanted to surprise Regine V, our Songbird.”

Asked by Boy A. how she became generous, Sharon replied, “ I got it from my Dad(Mayor Pablo Cuneta of Pasay).”

Sharon Cuneta, 53 has been entertaining ever since she appeared in Ike Lozada’s Bulilit portion of his show. Sharon mimicked her Aunt Helen Gamboa’s singing.  And then she was very young when she did her first movie, the Rosanna Ortiz and George Estregan starrer- Lovers For Hire.

At the tender age of 11, Sharon sang “Bato Sa Buhangin,” and her uncle Tito Sotto, then VP of Vicor Records was impressed and asked her to make a record for his label. She recorded her first single, “Tawag ng Pag-ibig,” and the rest is history.

Just like the Beatles who Boomers are familiar with  and big fans of the Liverpool group, and millennials also know their top hits, Sharon has Boomer and millennial fans and those in between the generations enjoying her music and acting.

In 1978, Shawee(nickname of Sharon) was famous for her hit song, Mr. DJ. She was the Jukebox Princess of those times. She recorded top hits upon top hits like “Kahit Na Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko” and “ High School Life.”

In 1981-83, Shawee teamed up with Gabby Concepcion in the movie “ Dear Heart.” She would soon become the Box-Office Sensation of the era. She did more movies with Gabby like “P S I Love You” and “My Only Love.”

She would also make movies with other teenage sensations like William Martinez(Forgive and Forget) and Rowell Santiago (Cross My Heart: Friends In Love).

In 1984, Shawee won Most Outstanding Female Concert Hall Act- Aliw Awards. She was also awarded Best Actress- FAMAS in the movie, “Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin?” and by the Film Academy of the Philippines in the movie “Sa Hirap At Ginhawa.”

She became the darling of the entertainment media and was proclaimed, Megastar. It was well-earned accolade and recognition.

Our Megastar would work for 28 years in ABS CBN- Kapamilya. She was a singer, TV host, actress, reality show judge and commercial endorser.

Then, she moved to Kapuso and inked a mega contract $21 million dollars. A couple of years later she will return to Kapamilya.

Some of her gigs were The Sharon Cuneta Show, Sharon Star Power, Sharon’s Search for the Next Female Pop Superstar, The Voice, Your Face Sounds Familiar and many more.

Shawee won various Best Actress Awards (FAMAS) in 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995,2009 and 2010. Shawee is a definite movie Hall of Famer. The more recent Best Actress Awards were for “ Caregiver” and “ Mano Po 6- A Mother’s Love.”

And at 53 Shawee, the Megastar is just warming up. We recently lost a classical artist in Armida Siguion Reyna at 88. Just like Shawee the late Ms. Armida had a long entertainment career. Shawee is on the same trajectory. We will see a lot more entertainment firepower from our Megastar.